In this week’s edition of the bonus episode, Andrew talks about some trials and errors he went through when trying to upgrade the storage drive in his old computer. Plus in the vocabulary lesson, he teaches you about the phrasal verb to swap out. Support Culips and take your English to the next level by becoming a Culips Member. To sign up, visit Culips.com. Study with the interactive transcript here. Join the Culips Discord server here: Listen to Simplified Speech #172 here:
Jun 26, 2023•34 min
We’ve all been in situations where our options were limited, and we had to accept something less than what we wanted. In this episode, Andrew and Kassy explain two idiomatic expressions that you can use to describe these situations, bottom of the barrel and slim pickings. Catch Word is the Culips vocabulary series designed for intermediate and advanced English learners. By listening to these audio lessons, you can learn idioms, expressions, and phrasal verbs that native speakers use all the time...
Jun 23, 2023•20 min
In this week’s edition of the bonus episode, Andrew talks about what he’s been up to over the last couple of weeks, including moving to his new house and a health scare with his pet dog Pinky Boy. Listen, learn, and improve your English fluency with real-life stories. Support Culips and take your English to the next level by becoming a Culips Member. To sign up, visit Culips.com. Study with the interactive transcript here: Join the Culips Discord server here: Watch the Discord tutorial here:...
Jun 19, 2023•40 min
Do you use tabs a lot? Do you prefer to use keyboard shortcuts or mouse clicks? In this episode, Andrew and Suzanne talk about the different ways to browse the internet. They share their different styles of surfing the internet and explore the pros and cons of each approach. Simplified Speech is the Culips series for beginner and intermediate English language learners that features easy to understand conversations about everyday topics. These episodes are designed to help you improve your listen...
Jun 16, 2023•23 min
Andrew quickly checks in to give you a status update about what’s new at Culips this week. Support Culips and take your English to the next level by becoming a Culips Member. To sign up, visit Culips.com. Join the Culips Discord server here: Watch the Discord tutorial here: Listen to Chatterbox #306
Jun 11, 2023•4 min
Stepping outside of your comfort zone can be scary, but it helps you grow as a person. In this episode, Andrew and Anna explore the science of stepping outside of your comfort zone, talk about why it’s important to push yourself, and share their own stories of personal growth and overcoming challenges. Culips’ Chatterbox series is designed for intermediate and advanced English learners. Chatterbox episodes feature two native English speakers having natural conversations. Listening to these audio...
Jun 10, 2023•25 min
In this week’s bonus episode, Andrew makes a big announcement about the new Culips Discord server. Plus, he tells you a story about a false alarm and teaches you the idiomatic expression ‘like a champ.’ Study with the interactive transcript here: Support Culips and take your English to the next level by becoming a Culips Member. To sign up, visit Culips.com. Study with the interactive transcript here. Join the Culips Discord server here: Watch the Discord tutorial here: Listen to Simplified Spee...
Jun 05, 2023•30 min
It feels great to give compliments, but do you know how to do it in English? When done correctly, it can help you create warm connections with others. In this Real Talk episode, Andrew and Kassy guide you through effective and easy-to-understand ways to compliment someone's appearance. By learning these expressions, you'll be able to make your friends feel good and appreciated while also improving your own English fluency and cultural understanding. Don't miss out on this exciting opportunity to...
Jun 02, 2023•24 min
In this week’s bonus episode, talks about celebrating his anniversary and getting ready for his upcoming move. Plus, he teaches you a useful English expression that will improve your listening and speaking, ‘to be in flux.’ Study with the interactive transcript here: Support Culips and take your English to the next level by becoming a Culips Member. To sign up, visit Culips.com. Listen to Simplified Speech 122 here: Listen to Simplified Speech 171 here:
May 29, 2023•27 min
Have you ever had to move mountains to achieve something? In this episode, Andrew and Suzanne teach you two useful idiomatic expressions that mean to work extra hard: to bend over backwards and to move mountains. Give this episode a listen to learn how to use these expressions! Catch Word is the Culips vocabulary series for intermediate and advanced English language learners. With this series you will learn idioms, expressions, and phrasal verbs that will help improve your English listening and ...
May 26, 2023•22 min
In this week's bonus episode, Andrew chats with Alastair Budge. Alastair is the creator of the English for Curious Minds podcast. They discuss an exciting new audio drama that Alastair has created called Pioneers of the Continuum, which features voice actors from the English language podcast community. Support Culips and take your English to the next level by becoming a Culips Member. To sign up, visit Culips.com. Pioneers of the Continuum: English Learning for Curious Minds:
May 22, 2023•27 min
What’s unique about your home? In this Simplified Speech episode, Andrew and Suzanne take Culips listeners on an audio tour of their homes. They discuss size, rooms, amenities, renovations, and memories. How do you think a Korean apartment in the middle of Seoul will compare to a duplex in Montreal? Listen and find out! Fun facts If you want to buy an apartment in Seoul, the average cost in 2023 is over one billion won (or over $750,000). Interestingly, the average cost of a detached home is abo...
May 19, 2023•26 min
In this week’s bonus episode, Andrew talks about a dead mic, a failed recording session, and a new technology. Plus, he and Kassy teach you two interesting idiomatic expressions, black sheep and dark horse. Support Culips and take your English to the next level by becoming a Culips Member. To sign up, visit Culips.com. Study with the interactive transcript here.
May 15, 2023•31 min
Daily life can often feel hectic and stressful. It’s easy to get caught up in the chaos and focus on your responsibilities and the future. However, it’s also important to slow down once in a while and reflect on the little joys in life. In this episode, Andrew and Suzanne do just that—they chat about the small but lovely things they enjoy during daily life, such as the smell of coffee in the morning and gazing at a bouquet of fresh-cut flowers. Fun facts My Favorite Things is a song about the li...
May 11, 2023•19 min
In this week’s bonus episode, Andrew talks about how he spent the weekend celebrating Children’s Day and Parents’ Day. And in the vocabulary lesson, he teaches you a useful English expression: R and R. Support Culips and take your English to the next level by becoming a Culips Member. To sign up, visit Culips.com. Study with the interactive transcript here.
May 08, 2023•25 min
In this episode, Andrew and Kassy have a catch-up and share what’s been happening in their lives lately. They talk about reading challenges, useful reading and productivity apps, and Kassy’s recent sports adventures. The Simplified Speech series features native speakers having clear, natural, and easy-to-understand conversations. By studying with this Simplified Speech episode, you’ll improve your English listening skills, increase your vocabulary, and learn how to talk about recent events happe...
May 04, 2023•24 min
In this bonus episode, Andrew talks about playing the drums and selling furniture. Plus he talks about the awesome Culips member live stream from last week and teaches you a useful idiomatic expression: to be in the market for something. Support Culips and take your English to the next level by becoming a Culips Member. To sign up, visit Culips.com. Study with the interactive transcript here.
Apr 30, 2023•29 min
Do you like ballet? In this episode, Andrew and Suzanne talk about this unique style of dancing. They discuss its origins and characteristics, and explain some specific vocabulary along the way. Suzanne, a former professional dancer, shares her own story and what ballet means to her. Simplified Speech is a Culips series that features two native English speakers having clear, natural, and easy-to-understand conversations about interesting topics. These episodes are designed to help you improve yo...
Apr 27, 2023•24 min
Join Andrew as he tells a story about a surprising discovery he found while organizing some files on his hard drive last week. Then after the story, Andrew teaches you a must-know phrasal verb that will improve your English fluency: to get around [something]. Support Culips and take your English to the next level by becoming a Culips Member. To sign up, visit Culips.com. Study with the interactive transcript here.
Apr 24, 2023•26 min
In this Chatterbox episode, Anna and Andrew talk about online anonymity. They share their own stories about using the internet and discuss the pros and cons of being anonymous online. They discuss how being anonymous can help people talk honestly but can also cause problems like cyberbullying and false information. Chatterbox is the Culips series designed for intermediate and advanced English learners. The series features fascinating conversations between native English speakers, covering a vari...
Apr 20, 2023•21 min
Join Andrew as he talks about how a normal day doing some errands with his wife had a surprise ending. Along the way, he’ll also give you some updates about what’s new at Culips and teach you a helpful English idiom, to weigh your options. Support Culips and take your English to the next level by becoming a Culips Member. To sign up, visit Culips.com. Study with the interactive transcript here.
Apr 17, 2023•26 min
Andrew and Suzanne discuss emotional support animals (also known as ESAs). They chat about Suzanne’s process with registering her dog as an ESA for her upcoming travel plans. This is a great episode for listeners interested in learning more about the ESA registration process and practicing pet and air travel vocabulary! Simplified Speech is the Culips series for beginner and intermediate English learners. It includes easy-to-understand conversations between two native speakers, helping you build...
Apr 13, 2023•19 min
In this week’s bonus episode, Andrew talks about the last-moment trip he took to Jeju Island to meet up with one of his oldest and best friends. Plus, in the vocabulary lesson, he teaches you about the useful English idiom to throw a wrench into [someone’s] plans. Support Culips and take your English to the next level by becoming a Culips Member. To sign up, visit Culips.com. Study with the interactive transcript here.
Apr 09, 2023•29 min
Have you ever been so nervous or stressed about a presentation that you forgot everything you had prepared? Have you ever performed well during sports practice but made mistakes during the big game? There are lots of great idioms to describe these nightmare scenarios in English and, in this episode, Andrew and Kassy introduce listeners to two of the most common ones: to crack under the pressure and can’t take/handle the heat. Fun facts One of the best things you can do with a heavy, stressful wo...
Apr 06, 2023•24 min
In this week’s bonus episode, Andrew shares two stories about his ongoing house renovation, one that’s funny and one that’s interesting. In the vocabulary lesson, he teaches you about the idiom to butt heads. Support Culips and take your English to the next level by becoming a Culips Member. To sign up, visit Culips.com. Study with the interactive transcript here.
Apr 03, 2023•31 min
Do you ever feel exhausted and overwhelmed with work or other aspects of your life? If so, you're not alone. Burnout is a common experience that can happen to anyone. In this episode, Andrew and Anna explore what burnout is, how to recognize it, and most importantly, what you can do to prevent it. Chatterbox is a series for intermediate and advanced English learners that features native English speakers having natural conversations on interesting topics. Studying with this series will help you b...
Mar 30, 2023•26 min
In this week’s bonus episode, Andrew talks about a unique dinner party he had with his friends over the weekend. Along the way, he teaches you about some interesting expressions like: to tip your hat to somebody, to let something slide, and to be shouldered with something Support Culips and take your English to the next level by becoming a Culips Member. To sign up, visit Culips.com. Study with the interactive transcript here. Check out Sebastian Maniscalco’s comedy here:
Mar 26, 2023•35 min
Table manners are an important part of many different cultures. Something that may be considered rude in one country may actually be polite in another. In this episode, Andrew and Suzanne talk about what is generally considered polite in the U.S., Canada, and U.K., their personal opinions on table manners, and a few horror stories about some really uncomfortable eating situations. Fun facts If you have the opportunity to enjoy a meal at a fancy restaurant in the U.S., here’s an etiquette tip tha...
Mar 24, 2023•28 min
In this week’s bonus episode, Andrew talks about an interesting conversation he had while riding the bus in Canada. He also gives you some exciting updates about some projects were working on at Culips. Along the way, he teaches you the vocabulary: a handful of something, to bite, curt, blunt, and to play favorites. Support Culips and take your English to the next level by becoming a Culips Member. To sign up, visit Culips.com. Study with the interactive transcript here.
Mar 19, 2023•28 min
Have you ever considered living in a micro apartment or tiny home? In this episode, Andrew and Anna discuss the rising trend of micro apartments in the real estate and housing industry. They explore why tiny living is becoming more popular and share their opinions on the matter. Chatterbox is a series designed for intermediate and advanced English learners where you can listen to native English speakers having natural conversations on fascinating topics. Learning with our Chatterbox series will ...
Mar 17, 2023•23 min
